The invention relates to a method, a system and a corresponding vehicle for the input of navigational target data into a navigation system.
Navigational target data can be input into navigation systems in various ways. In many navigation systems, an input is text based, for example by means of key pressure on electromechanical keyboards or on so-called touch screens, selection by means of a click on a computer mouse or by means of a so-called scroll wheel, etc. Towns and street names and corresponding digits or numbers, e.g. zip codes and/or house numbers, can be input as texts.
Navigational target data can also be transmitted, for example, from a computer to a navigation system and adopted there for the route guidance. A corresponding system is known, for example, by the BMW Online service.
From DE 100 48 576 A1, it is known to convey control messages to a vehicle control by SMS. In DE 198 39 378 A1, a system is described in which a navigation device consists of a mobile subsystem which is connected to a stationary subsystem via a communication link. From DE 10 2006 051 228 A1, it is known to send a target address by SMS to a mobile radio telephone. In US 2010/131191 A, it was described to detect free texts in so-called messaging services, there also being the possibility of providing a voice recognition system.
The contents of the above-mentioned publications are herewith incorporated in the present description by reference as non-essential matter.
It is an object of the invention to improve the input of navigational target data into a navigation system.
This and other objects are achieved by a method according to the invention, in which a facility for a mobile radio voice link is used for the input of navigational target data into a navigation system. Voice signals, which include signals derived therefrom, transmitted via the mobile radio voice link, are processed by way of a voice recognition device for recognizing spoken words. By way of at least one word recognized during this process, a comparison of targets with navigational target entries in a navigation database takes place. In the case of a positive result of the comparison, the corresponding navigational target entry is provided for input as a navigation target in the navigation system.
The invention is based on the finding that navigation systems are connected in many cases with other, particularly computer-controlled systems and the respective existing connection can be used advantageously for a need-oriented and very user-friendly, wholly or partially automated input of navigation targets. In this context, it was also found that, for example, a connection to a mobile radio system can be utilized for recognizing signals transmitted via a mobile radio channel, particularly voice signals but also data such as, e.g., messages transmitted by SMS, email or messages transmitted by a social network such as Facebook or Twitter, by means of currently available technology such as, e.g., voice recognition, text recognition and/or navigation targets addressed in each case by a self-learning system and then advantageously providing them for input into the navigation system. In this context, for example, a system which converts text data from an email or an SMS into voice, a so-called text-to-speech system can also be used advantageously for the purpose of providing the navigation target by using this system for analyzing the text data. It can be used additionally also for the acoustic output of the respective navigational target entry.
By means of the comparison of targets, it is possible to achieve, in particular, that a target address “Lehnbachplatz 3, Munich” contained in recognized spoken words, e.g. “drive to Lehnbachplatz 3 in Munich”, is recognized and provided for input into the navigation system. The target address can then be accepted advantageously wholly or partially automatically into the navigation system for route guidance. Advantageously, the respective user, particularly a vehicle driver, does not need to know or note the respective address and, therefore, is not distracted by such actions.
According to an advantageous exemplary embodiment of the invention, additionally to the comparison of targets, a keyword comparison between at least one word, which was recognized by the voice recognition, and at least one navigational keyword stored in a database takes place. The database used in this process can be, in particular, the navigation database and/or a keyword database independent thereof. In the case of a correspondence of the at least one spoken, recognized word, particularly of a corresponding spoken phrase, with the at least one keyword or a corresponding keyword phrase stored in a database, the comparison of targets takes place. In particular, the keyword comparison can precede the target comparison or take place in a common step.
The spoken and recognized word for the keyword comparison can be the same word or the same phrase, i.e. group of words, e.g. the phrase “homewards”, as the spoken and recognized word for the target comparison. In this case, the two comparisons virtually coincide to form one comparison. In the comparison of phrases, the respective order of the words can be optionally taken into consideration or not taken into consideration.
For the comparison of targets, it can also be provided that data of targets with respect to respective navigation targets, stored in the navigation database, comprise category data which in each case describe a category of the target. In particular, categories relating to so-called points of interest (POIs) which characterize prominent points in the countryside such as, e.g., a river, a landmark such as, e.g., a castle, a museum or a monument and/or infrastructure facilities such as, e.g., bridges, traffic lights, telephone booths, shops, etc. can be provided as corresponding target categories. For the respective POIs, their corresponding names can be stored in the navigation database. For the target comparison, a recognized spoken word can be compared, in particular, with a respective category designation such as, e.g., the designation river, castle, monument, etc. and/or with a name of the respective POI. A combined comparison of a spoken phrase by means of a combination of the category designation of a POI and the respective name of the POI can also be carried out. For example, a comparison of the spoken and recognized phrase “Nymphenburg castle” with the category designation “castle” and the name “Nymphenburg” of the POI leads to a positive recognition result.
For the target comparison, it can also be provided that typical samples for coordinates are used for the target input, e.g., the words “48 degrees 8 minutes 7 seconds north 11 degrees 30 minutes 17 seconds east” can be combined to form one specification of coordinates and proposed as a navigation target.
If the navigation system has already selected a navigation target and an additional navigation target has been recognized in the keyword comparison, it can be offered to the driver of the vehicle to optionally use this additional navigation target as a new intermediate target for the existing route.
For the keyword comparison, words or phrases can be provided as keywords, in particular, which include actions such as, e.g., navigation maneuvers, direction information and/or instructions, for example the words “turning”, “turn”, “to the right”, “to the left”, “after <<number>> meters” (the dummy <<number>> standing for a number), or “pick up <<object>>” (the dummy <<object>> standing for an expression with an arbitrary object). In particular, at least one spoken and recognized word can be compared additionally to the keyword comparison and/or the target comparison, with predetermined pairs, particularly stored in the keyword database or the navigation database, of location and action information, and potential target addresses can be determined on the basis of this comparison. In particular, driving maneuvers can be provided as action information. A pair of location and action information can contain, for example, the phrase “please stop at Rewe supermarket”.
In particular, the invention is associated with the advantage that the user of the navigation system does not have to input a navigation target address transmitted by a call party by voice, in text form on an input system but automatically obtains already one or more proposals for a target address. In particular, he can then accept or reject the respective proposal. It can also be provided that the navigation system automatically accepts a target address if the input system has recognized it unambiguously.
In this context, it can be achieved, particularly for the driver of a motor vehicle, that he is not distracted from driving the motor vehicle by any manual input of a target address. In particular, the invention can be used especially advantageously in those applications in which already various, particularly all, system components necessary for the invention, particularly hardware components, are already provided in a vehicle. For this purpose, for example, a so-called telematics unit with components to establish a radio link can be provided in the vehicle, particularly for a mobile radio link, e.g. with a SIM card and with a telecommunications interface which, for example, contains components with which a connection according to the mobile radio standard Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) G2, G3, G4 or higher can be established, and/or for establishing a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) connection.
In the sense of the invention, there is no strict distinction between signals and data and between analog and digital signals. Voice signals can be, therefore, e.g. analog signals or else coded as digital voice data.
Individual ones, or several of the method steps described in this document, particularly the transmission and/or processing of the voice signals, which includes the signals derived therefrom, and/or the target comparison can take place wholly or partially in the facility for the mobile radio voice link, particularly in a mobile telephone, in a vehicle and/or in a facility outside the vehicle, particularly in a so-called backend server. For this purpose, corresponding hardware and/or software-related components such as a comparator, a signal processor, a processor, a database, a memory, a navigation system with a positioning facility, etc. can be provided in the respective facility.
A backend server is, in particular, a computer which can be connected for data to a vehicle, for example via a corresponding radio link, and, in particular, a computer connected thereto. A backend server is typically contactable by a plurality of vehicles, particularly by a fleet of vehicles and/or by a vehicle manufacturer, for a data exchange.
According to a further advantageous exemplary embodiment of the invention, at least two spoken and recognized words adjacent to one another such that, in the spoken context, they have a predetermined minimum distance and/or a predetermined maximum distance from one another, are used for the comparison of targets and/or the keyword comparison. The spacing of adjacent words can then be measured as word spacing and/or in time. According to this exemplary embodiment, in particular, suitable phrases can be utilized for the respective comparison.
In a further advantageous exemplary embodiment of the invention, for the provision of the navigational target data, the navigational target entry is output on an output unit. The output unit can be configured, in particular, for the output of optical and/or acoustic signals. For this purpose, it can include, for example, a screen, a so-called head up display and/or a hands-free system.
The navigational target data output on the output unit can be advantageously selectable by use of an input unit. For this purpose in particular, navigational target data for a number of navigation targets recognized as potential targets during the target comparison can be output for selection. For this purpose, the output can take place, for example, graphically in the form of a list which contains the various potential targets. The input unit can include, for example, a touch-sensitive screen (touch screen), mechanical or graphically represented keys, a computer mouse, a scroll wheel and/or a microphone. The input unit can be operated, in particular, manually and/or by voice input.
For the comparison of a respective recognized spoken word with the words stored in the respective database and/or for the output of the navigational target data, presetting of at least one comparison and/or output rule can take place. By this means, there can be a user-specific adaptation of comparison processes and/or comparison facilities, in particular. For example, user-specific preferences of particular words and/or phrases can be taken into consideration by this means such as, e.g. “keep to the right”. User-specific preferences of particular orientation criteria in route guidance, for example for target categories which apply to buildings, forms of countryside and/or road properties can also be taken into consideration in this context. Certain navigational target data such as addresses and/or categories can also be preferred user-specifically in a so-called white list, particularly only these may be allowed for the target comparison, and/or they may be locked in a so-called black list.
For a presetting and/or a change of the at least one comparison and/or output rule, a self-learning system can be advantageously provided, the user-specific preferences, e.g., being determined wholly or partially automatically on the basis of a plurality of selection processes.
The provision, output and/or selection of the navigational target data can be controlled, in particular, by use of a position sensor which determines the current position of the respective user and/of the navigation system. In this context, navigation targets can be all the more preferred the closer they are to the current location of the user or the navigation system, respectively.
As part of the invention, an input system for the input of navigational target data into a navigation system by way of a facility for a mobile radio voice link can also be specified. The input system includes a voice recognition device for processing voice signals transmitted via the mobile radio voice link or signals derived therefrom, for the recognition of words. Furthermore, it includes a target comparison device which is configured to perform, by way of at least one word recognized by the voice recognition device, a comparison with navigational target entries in a navigation database, and in the case of a positive result of the comparison, to provide data of the corresponding navigational target entry as navigational target data for input into the navigation system.
The input system can be, in particular, a component of a navigation system. The navigation database can be provided, for example, in the input system or in a separate navigation system. The input system can include, in particular, means for performing one or more method steps according to the method described further above.
As part of the invention, a vehicle can also be specified which has an input system described in this document.
The input system can be provided, in particular, as a driver assistance system for a vehicle. It can be advantageously configured to be switchable in such a manner that it can be switched on and off optionally by the vehicle driver. In particular, it can be provided wholly or partially in the vehicle. For example, the voice recognition and/or a comparison device for the keyword comparison can be provided in the vehicle and the navigation database and/or the target comparison device in a backend server outside the vehicle.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.